


Just Checking: Audrey and Duke

by serendipityxxi



Series: Just Checking [4]
Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-11
Updated: 2016-03-11
Packaged: 2018-05-26 00:23:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6216115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipityxxi/pseuds/serendipityxxi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>6 times one of our OT3 had to check just to make sure one of the others is okay post the Troubles and one time they didn't have to. Audrey checks in on Duke.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Checking: Audrey and Duke

Duke Crocker knows Audrey Parker’s secret. He knows she isn’t really Wonder Woman. He knows she has her bad days, he’s sat up drinking with her on bad nights. Still, sometimes even Duke forgets. She wears the cape and the bracelets and wields the lasso of Trouble-wrangling so well, she’s so strong and together that sometimes even he gets fooled.

So he has no idea what’s going on when she marches onto the Rouge that morning. He’s just running his baby on a test drive, four hours round-trip max. He’s finished some repairs and wants to see how she fared. Audrey insisted she was going to spend her one day off this week lying on the sofa eating cupcakes and reading her trashy novel, not swabbing the deck like a galley wench. So Duke had rolled out of bed, kissed her sleeping head and left at the same time as Nathan headed out to the station.

Duke’s blood goes cold for a second “Nathan?” he asks, but she shakes her head.

“No, he’s fine,” she assures him quickly, “still at the station being bullied by the old ladies of the historical society.”

Duke laughs and wraps his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in for a quick hug and peck on the temple hello. Audrey winds her arms around his waist and holds on when Duke would have let go.

He tilts his head down to look at her more carefully and she pushes up on her toes against him to kiss him. The kiss lingers too, much longer than a hello and there’s just the hint of desperation to it, her fingers twisted too tightly to be casual in the fabric of his sweater. Duke doesn’t know what’s going on but he knows better than to push Audrey when she isn’t ready to talk. If Nathan is okay she can take her time getting to whatever has lead her out here.

“So ye’re joining me fer adventure on the high seas then, lassie?” he teases, expecting her to convince him into going for coffee or something else instead so she can tell him what’s up.

Audrey only squints at him “Just know I won’t be scrubbing the mizzen sail or whatever,” she says, waving a dismissive hand.

Duke barks out a laugh. “What kind of a job would that be for me first mate?” he agrees.

Audrey gives him a scowl in return but follows him amiably enough when he goes to get them underway.

It’s a nice day out, the sun is just coming up and it’s cool but not cold out on deck, especially in that champagne fall of light near the front of the boat. Duke keeps his deck chairs there specifically for catching that bit of warmth.

“You could go read on the deck til I get us out of the harbor,” Duke suggests thinking she’ll be bored. Clearly he doesn’t know Audrey Parker. She spends the next thirty minutes interrogating him on the hows and whys of captaining a vessel like the Rouge

Once they’re underway Duke expects her to tire of the sailor life and go stretch out on deck but she doesn’t budge from his side. She sprawls in the captain’s chair, one leg cocked over the armrest, her blonde hair picking up white gold glints in the light through the windows. Her body is a picture of ease but her eyes track his every move like he’s going to bolt. When he goes down to check on the engine she follows though he knows she hates the scent of engine oil. She has complained loudly and vociferously about it on every other occasion. Today she willingly braves it and makes not a peep about the stench, just hands him every tool he asks for without complaint the whole ten minutes they’re in there. It’s starting to freak him out. He’d worry it’s a Haven thing if the Troubles weren’t over.

“Want a snack?” he offers when they’re headed back up top. 

They go into the galley and Duke sets them up with grapes and cheeses and Audrey mocks him for trying to get her to eat a balanced diet.

“Don’t want you mutinying on the Captain if I let you get scurvy,” he says with a wink. It makes her laugh and for a moment her shoulders relax and she looks at ease for the first time that morning. Duke is about to broach the subject of what’s on her mind but the alarm goes off for the damn part he just changed!

“I’ll be right back,” he assures Audrey and hustles back down to the engine room. Three minutes later he’s exiting the engine room, (the loose bolt tightened now), he practically trips over her where she’s pacing the hallway outside.

“Audrey!” he exclaims hands going out to steady her, fingers wrapped carefully around her biceps.

“Sorry! Sorry!” she apologizes but she doesn’t pull away.

In fact she steps in closer and wraps her arms around his waist, tucks her head under his chin and holds on. Duke gives a short surprised laugh and folds her into his arms, one hand going to stroke up and down her back and finally comes to rest again across her shoulder blades, holding her gently to him. There’s the finest tremble going through her body and she’s holding on like she’d fall overboard if she let go.

“Everything okay, Audrey?” he asks gently.

“You picked up your clothes!” she accuses and Duke is thrown for a loop there.

“Yes?” he agrees. She and Nathan had been bitching at him not to leave his dirty clothes on the floor of the bathroom for weeks now.

“I forgot you were going out this morning,” she says quietly. “I woke up and it was just me in the bed. Nathan’s shield was gone so I knew he was at the station but I didn’t know where you were and all your clothes were in the hamper not spread over the damn floor. They were gone and for a second I thought....” She stops like she can’t go on.

“Oh, Audrey,” he says and holds on a little tighter, strokes his hand through her hair. He hates that she’s upset but it’s a little mind blowing that Audrey Parker woke up and missed him, needed to see him, came out and helped fix boat guts because she wanted to be with him.

“I’m sorry for finally picking up after myself?” he asks and that gets the laugh he was expecting and a sock to his shoulder. He rocks them gently swaying side to side.

When her breathing is steadier he says  “Y’know I’m not going anywhere, right?” And he means it, he’s staying, he’s not leaving them. “The two of you would probably really get scurvy or rickets or something just as bad if I did,” he says, listening to the way her breathing has settled, going deep and easy now.

“Diabetes from Nathan’s pancake habit,” she agrees still holding on.

“Not from your cupcake addiction?” he teases.

Audrey huffs out a laugh against his shoulder.

“C’mon let’s get out of here. It smells like engine oil which I have on good authority is so offensive to the nose it should be a chemical weapon.”

Audrey laughs and leads the way. Duke makes a big show of taking her hand to help her over the bulkhead. Audrey rolls her eyes but doesn’t let go of his hand.

They go home and rescue Nathan from the little old ladies of the historical society.

Duke makes sure to leave his clothes on the bathroom floor that night. Audrey doesn’t complain. In the morning they’re still on the floor and Audrey inhales deeply at the sight.

  _He’s still there. He’s not going anywhere._


End file.
